What’s the Secret to Finding Your True Home Value?

More and more people are going online to find real estate assistance. There are a lot of great resources on the Internet, and doing your own research is important - but it’s important to be careful about some of the information you find. Sites like Zillow, for example, have some inaccurate information that could really mislead you.

A perfect example of something you shouldn’t trust on Zillow is their Zestimate feature. The Zestimate is an automated valuation model (AVM) that uses public records to come up with a home value estimate. The problem with using public records, however, is that they are often incomplete and outdated; in other words, this method draws data from an unreliable source, and the price it comes up with is usually inaccurate as a result.

Realtors use a tool called RPR, which is a Realtor valuation model (RVM) that draws from public records and MLS data, which is more consistent and up to date than any other real estate information available. The best AVMs on the market come within 10% of the actual sales price only 60% of the time, whereas the RVM comes within 10% of the actual sales price 90% of the time. The difference between the two is obvious: one is way more accurate than the other.

Late last year, we sold a home that had a Zestimate of $179,424. Because we knew the market, the demand for property in the neighborhood, the size of the lot, and the number of upgrades made to the property, we knew the Zestimate was way too low. With the integration of MLS data, the RPR actually projected that the home was worth $193,730, a much more accurate value. Knowing the current market trends at the time and backed by our expertise, we were confident that it was worth even more. Long story short, we priced the home even higher than the RPR value, and we still ended up getting multiple offers and selling for $200,000!

Bottom line, the Zestimate is a useful tool, but it’s not wise to think of the number as 100% accurate. If you would like to work with home seller specialists who are dedicated to making sure no money is left on the table when you sell, give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Why work with us?

The Ryan & Brian Team of Expert Advisors is dedicated to making the purchase or sale of your next property as smooth as possible. Our unique team system is the secret to our success and allows Ryan & Brian to provide unparalleled service to our clients. Whether you are looking to buy or sell, we are here to help you.

At The Ryan & Brian Team of Expert Advisors, we take pride in our mission, culture, and core values. You have a dedicated group of professionals working for you SELLERS to get your property sold in the least amount of time and for the most amount of money and for you BUYERS to find your dream property in the least amount of time for the least amount of money. Our focus is to our clients and keeping them informed in every step of the real estate transaction.

We Guarantee you RESULTS in every aspect of your real estate transaction. Whether you are buying or selling your home, YOU come first! Our goal is to manage your expectations and go above and beyond to make your home sale or purchase the best experience. We understand that Real Estate is one of the top 5 largest investments in anyone's life, and we want to ensure our clients that you are taken care of from beginning to end!

What our clients have to say

"I highly recommend Ryan & Brian to help you sell your home! Within two weeks of putting up the sign, the house was under contract. They went out of their way to get a lender for the buyer and to take care of some details with boundaries that we had not anticipated. They always responded to my calls and concerns very promptly. The closing was so smooth! I would never known how to do all this on my own. Thank you to everyone on the Ryan & Brian time, including Kelli, always nice to deal with on the phone."

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

"True Professionals!
I want to commend the Ryan & Brian Team for making the purchase of my first home a positive experience! They took the time to explain the process, showed me all the houses I wanted to see and guided me to right house for me and my new family. Thanks again!"

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Iris -"We had great results and they sold our house pretty quickly. They brought us someone who would help us fix up our house. Everything they told us to do, we followed it so there was no reason why the house wouldn’t sell. My husband and I were both very happy with the work they did for us!"